Almonds, one of the ingredients of flummery.
Flummery is, in general, a type of pudding that originated in the United Kingdom (UK) hundreds of years ago and exists to this day in many different forms. Often made with cornstarch as a thickener, the dish can use a variety of ingredients, although fresh berries, sour cream, and oatmeal are quite common. It was once considered a very special treat, though it was eventually derided as bland and less satisfying than others available through new cooking techniques. Flummery is usually only as tasty as the ingredients used to create it and can range from a boring pudding to a much more lively and unique pudding.
Irish whiskey is sometimes used to add flavor to British pudding known as flummery.
Many traditional recipes call for oats to be used as a thickener and filling ingredient. Similar to how oats can be used in ground meat dishes like meatloaf and meatballs, oatmeal is an inexpensive way to make the plate bigger to feed more people. However, this usually doesn’t add much flavor to the dish, and many modern recipes ditch oats altogether in favor of more flavorful preparation methods.
Flummery is sweetened with warm honey.
A popular form of Irish frivolity keeps the oatmeal in the dish but adds enough ingredients to keep the end product from being bland. The heavy cream is whipped into soft peaks, at which point it is combined with toasted almond slices and oatmeal, hot honey, lemon juice, berries such as raspberries or blueberries, and Irish whiskey. The resulting flummery is smooth, creamy, and almost full of flavor.
Flummery is, in general, a type of pudding that originated in the United Kingdom (UK) hundreds of years ago and exists to this day in many different forms.
A simple flummery can be made by combining gelatin, cream, and sugar. Flavored gelatin can be used to add a bit of flavor or plain gelatin can be used with vanilla. Gelatin is prepared with boiling water and then allowed to cool before mixing with cream. This combination is blended until smooth and slightly aerated, before chilling for several hours to thicken properly. Fresh fruit can also be added to create a simple yet tasty dessert.
Flummery also came to be used as a term of derision outside of culinary contexts. Due to the tendency of early versions to be mostly oatmeal and cream, with little other flavor or texture, the dish often lacked much actual content. The name has spread beyond the culinary realm and is often used to describe something that has no meaning or is generally flavorless.